Patient transfer apparatus
A transfer device is provided for transferring a patient from a first support surface to an adjacent second support surface. The device includes a plurality of elongated side-by-side first bladders arranged to be placed under the patient on the first support surface and a rolling sheet to be disposed between the patient and the bladders. The bladders being separately and sequentially inflatable to tilt and move the patient transversely.
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This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/757,868, filed Jan. 15, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,292. U.S. Ser. No. 10/757,868 is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/267,386, filed on Oct. 9, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,544. U.S. Ser. No. 10/267,386 is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/591,176, filed on Jun. 9, 2000, and entitled “PATIENT TRANSFER APPARATUS”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,106, which claims the benefit of U.S. Ser. No. 60/139,143, filed on Jun. 14, 1999. All of the above applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a patient transfer apparatus to facilitate transfer of less mobile and totally immobile patients from one support surface to another adjacent support surface. Several devices exist for the purpose of transferring less mobile and totally immobile patients from one support surface, such as a stretcher, to another adjacent support surface, such as a hospital bed in a medical facility—such as a nursing home or a hospital. One such patient transfer device is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,183, entitled “Patient Transfer Apparatus”, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, which is incorporated herein by reference. The therein-disclosed device includes a sheet of material formed as a continuous loop having a low-friction inner surface so that when placed under the patient, two slick surfaces slide against each other reducing the coefficient of friction and making it easier to transfer the patient. The device includes a plurality of spaced-apart handles around the outer surface of the sheet to enable the caregiver to roll the sheet of material over itself toward the second support surface to transfer the patient from the first support surface to the second support surface.
Another such device for moving less mobile and totally immobile patients or patients is illustratively disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,189, issued to Weedling et al. and entitled “Air Chamber Type Patient Mover Air Pallet With Multiple Control Features”. The air pallet-type patient mover of Weedling et al. includes a thin flexible bottom sheet for defining an air chamber, with the bottom sheet having pinhole-type perforations through which air escapes under pressure to create an air bearing between the bottom sheet and the underlying support surface to facilitate transfer of patients.
According to the present invention, a patient transfer device includes an elongated pad configured to be placed under the patient on a first support surface, and extending along at least a portion of the patient's body. The pad includes a fluid chamber to receive fluid under pressure. The fluid chamber includes a bottom wall facing the first support surface, and having perforations for releasing the fluid from the chamber against the first support surface to provide a fluid bearing to facilitate moving the pad and the patient supported thereon from the first support surface to an adjacent second support surface.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a patient transfer device includes an elongated foam pad having a fluid impervious enclosure. The foam pad is configured to be placed under the patient on a first support surface, and extends along at least a portion of the patient's body. The foam pad defines a fluid chamber to receive fluid under pressure. The fluid chamber has a bottom wall facing the first support surface, and including perforations for releasing fluid from the chamber against the first support surface to provide a fluid bearing to facilitate moving the foam pad and the patient supported thereon from the first support surface to an adjacent second support surface.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a patient transfer device includes a pair of elongated, laterally spaced apart tubes of material coupled to each other. Each tube is configured to be placed longitudinally under the patient on a first support surface, and extends along at least a portion of the patient's body. Each tube is made of sheet of material having an inside surface of relatively low friction and an outside surface of relatively high friction. Each tube is flattened when placed under a patient to have an upper run of the relatively low friction surface facing downwardly to engage a lower run of the relatively low friction surface facing upwardly such that the upper and lower runs can slide smoothly transversely as the patient is moved from the first support surface to an adjacent second support surface. The tubes are configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the first support surface such that one of the tubes provides movement of the patient to and from one side of the first support surface and such that other of the tubes provides movement of the patient to and from the other side of the first support surface.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a patient transfer device includes an elongated tube configured to be placed longitudinally under the patient on a first support surface and extending along at least a portion of the patient's body. The tube is flattened to have an upper run and a lower run in contact with each other. The tube has a wall structure providing a plurality of fluid chambers to receive fluid under pressure. The wall structure includes perforations opening downwardly from the upper run and upwardly from the lower run to expel fluid and provide a fluid bearing in the space between the runs to facilitate transverse movement of the upper run relative to the lower run to transport a patient from the first support surface to an adjacent second support surface.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, a transfer device includes a foam pad having a fluid impervious enclosure. The pad is folded over itself to form an elongated tube. The tube is flattened when placed under the patient on a first support surface to form an upper run and a lower run in contact with each other. The foam pad defines a fluid chamber to receive fluid under pressure. The fluid chamber includes a wall structure with perforations opening downwardly from the upper run and upwardly from the lower run to expel fluid and provide a fluid bearing in the space between the runs to facilitate transverse movement of the upper run relative to the lower run for movement of the patient from the first support surface to an adjacent second support surface.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a patient transfer device includes a plurality of elongated laterally spaced apart bladders arranged to be placed under the patient on a first support surface and a rolling sheet to be disposed between the patient and the bladders. The bladders are separately and sequentially inflatable to tilt and move the patient transversely from the first support surface to an adjacent second support surface.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a patient transfer device includes a pad having a fluid chamber to receive fluid under pressure, a blower configured to be coupled to the pad for pumping pressurized fluid into the fluid chamber and a pouch for supporting the blower. The pouch has a first side coupled to the pad and a second side coupled to the blower to allow the blower to be positioned on either side of the pad.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
Referring to
As shown in
A flap 130 is secured to the protective cover 122 around the entire perimeter of the laminated topper pad 102 as shown in
In operation, to move a patient 104 from the first support surface 106 to the second support surface 112, the stretcher 110 is moved next to the hospital bed 116. The elevation of the two support surfaces 106, 112 is adjusted so that they are generally disposed side by side and in the same horizontal plane. Next, the flap 130 is flipped up to disengage the topper pad 102 from the mattress 108. The handle straps 138, which are normally on the inside of the flap 130 when the flap 130 is hanging down from the topper pad 102, are located on the outside of the flap 130 when the flap 130 is flipped up. The air blower 140 is turned on to pump a high volume of low pressure air (about 300 CFM at 1 PSI) into the laminated topper pad 102 to provide the lift needed to float the patient 104 on the mattress 108. Once the patient is floated, the caregiver stands across the bed 116 to which the patient is to be moved, grabs the handle straps 138 and pulls the patient 104 over onto the mattress 114 supported on the bed 116. The air bearing produced by the low pressure air escaping through the pinhole-type perforations 126 in the bottom surface 124 of the laminated topper pad 102 produces a low friction surface to facilitate the transfer of a patient from one support surface to another support surface. Additionally, the bottom surface 128 of the protective cover 122 may be provided with a low friction coating to further facilitate patient transfer. After the patient is moved to the second support surface 112, the blower 140 is turned off, the hose 142 is disconnected from the blower 140, and the patient is log rolled off the laminated topper pad 102 onto the second support surface 112. The topper pad 102 may then be returned to the stretcher 110 or stored for later use. If the topper pad 102 is returned to the stretcher 110, the hose 142 may be tucked under the mattress 108 so that it can be out of the way.
Air is preferably pumped into the foam pad 118, however any suitable fluid such as other gasses may be pumped into the foam pad 118 without exceeding the scope of the invention as presently perceived. Thus, throughout the specification and claims, the term “air” will be understood to mean any suitable fluid.
Referring to
Illustrative specifications of some key components of the patient transfer apparatus 100 are as follows:
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- 1) Foam pad 118—very light density foam pad (e.g., about 12 ILD), available from Cascade Designs, Inc.
- 2) Stain-resistant protective cover 122—Urethane coated fabric, such as “Dartex” available from Penn-Nyla, Inc.
- 3) Low friction coating on the bottom surface 128 of the cover 122—Taffeta nylon.
- 4) Handle straps 138—nylon.
- 5) Air blower 140—such as air blowers marketed by Hoover, Inc.
- 6) Hose 142—a nylon tube about 2 inches (about 5 centimeters) in diameter. The nylon tube may have a coating of urethane on the outside to facilitate joining of the tube to the lamination.
An alternative configuration for hooking up a blower to a topper pad 150 is shown in
A second embodiment 200 of the patient transfer device of the present invention is shown in
In operation, to move a patient 242 from the stretcher 206 to the operating table 212, the rolling transfer tube 236 on the side 228 of the stretcher 206 adjacent to the operating table 212 is pulled out from under the mattress 204, and the patient is log rolled to place the rolling transfer tube 236 and a draw sheet 244 under the patient 242. Next, the stretcher 206 is wheeled next to the operating table 212. The two support surfaces 202 and 208 of the stretcher 206 and the operating table 212 are adjusted to be side by side and in the same horizontal plane. The draw sheet 244 is then used to pull the patient 242 across the support surfaces 202 and 208 of the stretcher 206 and the operating table 212 respectively, while the rolling transfer tube 236 slides on itself to roll the patient 242 across the two support surfaces 202 and 208. When the patient transfer is complete, the rolling transfer tube 236 is tucked under the mattress 204 of the stretcher 206, much like a bed sheet is tucked under a bed. In like manner, the patient 242 can be moved to another support surface of a hospital bed or an x-ray table or a stretcher on the other side 226 of the stretcher 206 using the other rolling transfer tube 234.
It will be seen that the tubes 234, 236 are flattened when placed under a patient to have an upper run 250 of the relatively low friction surface facing downwardly to engage a lower run 252 of the relatively low friction surface facing upwardly such that the upper and lower runs 250, 252 can slide smoothly transversely as the patient is moved from a first support surface to a second support surface. The tubes 234, 236 are configured to be positioned on opposite sides 226, 228 of the first support surface 202 such that one of the tubes 234, 236 provides movement of the patient to and from one side 226 of the first support surface 202 and such that other of the tubes 234, 236 provides movement of the patient to and from the other side 228 of the first support surface 202.
Illustratively, the stain-resistant piece of fabric 220 is a nylon sheet, with Teflon or silicone coating on the inside surface 222. Alternatively, the inside surface 222 may be calendered to give it a more slippery surface on the inside than on the outside. The longitudinal dimension of each tube 234, 236 is about 46 inches (117 centimeters), and the width is about 26 inches (about 66 centimeters). Likewise, the longitudinal dimension of the middle part 238 is about 46 inches (117 centimeters), and the width is about 26 inches (about 66 centimeters).
A third embodiment 300 of the patient transfer device of the present invention is shown in
In operation, the patient 306 is log rolled onto a draw sheet 334 and the tube 326. A blower 336 is coupled to the tube 326 to pump a high volume of low pressure air (about 300 CFM at 1 PSI) into the air chambers 322. The air escapes inwardly to develop a low friction air bearing in the space between the upper and lower runs 330, 332. The low friction air bearing allows the endless tube 326 to roll easily to move the patient 306 across the tube 326 from the first support surface 302 to the second support surface 308, similar to a roller board.
Air chambers 322 are preferably inflated and deflated using air, however any acceptable fluid such as other gasses can be used to inflate air chambers 322 without exceeding the scope of the invention as presently perceived. Thus, throughout the specification and claims such fluid will be referred to as air, although it is understood that other fluids may be used.
Illustratively, when flattened, the length of the tube 326 is about 46 inches (117 centimeters), the width is about 26 inches (about 66 centimeters) and the height is about 3 inches (about 8 centimeters). The diameter of the longitudinally extending air chambers 322 is about 1.5 inches (about 4 centimeters). The material for the bladders 322 is stain-resistant Nylon, with Teflon or silicone coating on the inside surface.
Another method of construction of the roller board-type tube is shown in
Illustratively, the laminated foam pad 342 is a very light density foam pad (e.g., about 12 ILD), available from Cascade Designs, Inc. When flattened, the length of the tube 358 is about 46 inches (117 centimeters), the width is about 26 inches (about 66 centimeters) and the height is about 1 inch (about 2.5 centimeters). The thickness of each run of the foam pad 350 is about ½ inches (about 1 centimeter).
A fourth embodiment 400 of the patient transfer device of the present invention is shown in
Illustratively, the length of the pad 400 is about 46 inches (117 centimeters) and the width is about 26 inches (about 66 centimeters). The diameter of the large bladders 422 is about 18 inches (about 46 centimeters), and the diameter of the small bladders 430 is about 2 inches (about 5 centimeters). The material for the bladders 422, 430 is stain-resistant Nylon, with Teflon or silicone coating on the outside. The rolling transfer sheet 420, when flattened, is at least 36 inches wide (at least 91 centimeters) and at least 42 inches long (about 107 centimeters). The rolling transfer sheet 420 is a pliable material like nylon that is slippery on the inside and frictional on the outside. The high volume low pressure pump is of the type marketed by Nilfisk, Model No. GSD115.
A fifth embodiment 500 of the patient transfer device of the present invention is shown in
The pouch 530 includes a transversely-extending first portion or flap 532 and a second portion 534 that loops around to form an enclosure 536 for storing the blower 520. The first portion 532 includes a longitudinal edge 538 secured to the topside of the pad 502 along the longitudinal axis 504. Any suitable means may be used for attaching the longitudinal edge 538 of the pouch 530 to the pad 502—such as heat sealing, sewing, gluing, etc. The transversely-extending first portion 532 is dimensioned so that the blower 520 can be positioned on either side 506, 508 of the pad 502, as best shown in
The second portion 534 of the pouch 530 supporting the blower 520 is provided with handle loops 542 which can be grabbed by the caregiver to pull the pad 502 and a patient supported thereon across the support surfaces. The blower 520 may be energized by using a power cord or a battery (not shown). An air inlet tube 544, which is detachable, couples the blower 520 to the pad 502. The blower 520 may be removed from the pouch 530 for laundering the pad 502. The length of the pad 502 is about 46 inches (117 centimeters), the width is about 26 inches (about 66 centimeters) and the height is about 1 inch (about 2.5 centimeters).
Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described above.
Claims
1. A transfer device for transferring a patient from a first support surface to an adjacent second support surface, the device comprising a plurality of elongated side-by-side first bladders arranged to be placed under the patient on the first support surface and a rolling sheet to be disposed between the patient and the bladders, the bladders being separately and sequentially inflatable to tilt and move the rolling sheet and the patient supported thereon transversely relative to the bladders from the first support surface to the second support surface, wherein the rolling sheet completely uncovers at least one of the bladders as the rolling sheet moves transversely relative to the bladders.
2. The transfer device of claim 1, further including a plurality of elongated side-by-side second bladders arranged to be placed under the plurality of first bladders on the first support surface.
3. The transfer device of claim 2, wherein the first bladders have a first diameter and the second bladders have a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.
4. The transfer device of claim 1, further including a source of pressurized air to inflate the first bladders.
5. The transfer device of claim 4, wherein the source of pressurized air is coupled to one of the first bladders.
6. The transfer device of claim 4, wherein the source of pressurized air has a capacity of about 300 CFM.
7. The transfer device of claim 1, further including a check valve coupled to each first bladder for evacuating the air from the first bladders.
8. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein the rolling sheet is coupled to one of the first bladders.
9. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein the rolling sheet is coupled to one of the first bladders by heat sealing.
10. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein each first bladder is coupled to at least one adjacent first bladder along a longitudinal seam.
11. The transfer device of claim 10, wherein the longitudinal seams are formed by heat sealing.
12. The transfer device of claim 10, further comprising a pop-off valve situated along each longitudinal seam.
13. The transfer device of claim 12, wherein the pop-off valve opens when a pressure differential across the pop-off valve reaches a threshold.
14. The transfer device of claim 13, wherein the threshold is about 1 PSI.
15. The transfer device of claim 1, further comprising a plug coupled to each first bladder to evacuate the first bladders when the respective plugs are opened.
16. The transfer device of claim 1, further comprising a pop-off valve interconnecting two of the first bladders.
17. The transfer device of claim 1, wherein the rolling sheet, when flattened, has a width substantially equal to a width of the plurality of first bladders.
18. The transfer device of claim 17, wherein the width of the rolling sheet, when flattened, is greater than a width of the first support surface.
19. A transfer device for transferring a patient from a first support surface to an adjacent second support surface, the device comprising a plurality of elongated side-by-side first bladders arranged to be placed under the patient on the first support surface and a rolling sheet to be disposed between the patient and the bladders, the bladders being separately and sequentially inflatable to tilt and move the patient transversely, the rolling sheet being in the form of a tube of material having an inside surface of relatively low friction and an outside surface of relatively high friction, the tube being flattened when placed under the patient to have an upper run of the relatively low friction surface facing downwardly to engage a lower run of the relatively low friction surface facing upwardly.
20. A transfer device comprising at least three elongated side-by-side bladders arranged to be placed under the patient on a support surface and a rolling sheet to be disposed between the patient and the bladders, the bladders being separately and sequentially inflatable to tilt and move the rolling sheet and the patient supported thereon transversely relative to the bladders, wherein the rolling sheet completely uncovers at least one of the bladders as the rolling sheet moves transversely relative to the bladders.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 15, 2004
Date of Patent: Apr 25, 2006
Patent Publication Number: 20050102749
Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventor: Richard H. Heimbrock (Cincinnati, OH)
Primary Examiner: Robert G. Santos
Attorney: Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Application Number: 10/988,861
International Classification: A61G 7/08 (20060101); A47C 27/10 (20060101);